Ketchup with Nduja (270g) | KEJA Tomato Sauce with Calabrian Nduja | Natural Product | Provided in Bottle with Dispenser - by Moretti®

Product Information

Calabrese seeds are widely available from garden centres and online gardening retailers (although, confusingly, they are sometimes sold as broccoli). After cutting the main head, further smaller heads form on side-shoots, extending the harvest for up to eight weeks.

Gardeners can add nutrients by applying fertilisers (either artificial or naturally derived) to boost plant growth and improve flowering and fruiting. To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. Calabrese doesn’t transplant well in warm weather, making it prone to bolting (premature flowering), so after April it is best sown in its final position outdoors (see below). Sowings after mid-spring are best made in their final position, as calabrese doesn’t transplant well in warm weather.Begin by charring the peppers in a smoking hot griddle pan or directly over a gas hob flame, rotating as the skin blackens. The main head is ready to cut when 10–15cm (4–6in) across, well formed but still in bud, before the flowers begin to open. Young calabrese plants may also be available in spring from similar sources, but the choice of varieties may be very limited. Calabrese and broccoli are two different crops, but they are often muddled up, with both plants widely referred to as broccoli. If done closer to planting time, firm the soil really well by treading it down, shuffling back and forth over it, then rake it smooth.

Calabrese should be used straight after harvesting if possible, when packed with flavour and nutrients, but can be kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen for later use. Calabrese is a fast-growing brassica and needs little maintenance apart from weeding regularly and watering during dry spells. If your soil is very acidic, apply lime the previous winter to raise the pH and deter clubroot disease.

After you harvest the main head, further small heads will develop on side-shoots, which can be picked regularly over the following weeks. The previous autumn, dig in two bucketfuls of well-rotted manure or garden compost per square metre/yard, to allow the ground time to settle over winter. Keep plants fully covered with fine-mesh netting to protect them from cabbage butterflies and pigeons. Rake in a high potassium general fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4 – use one and a half handfuls per square metre/yard, or three handfuls if no manure or garden compost has been added.

For the most reliable calabrese varieties, look for those with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed exceptionally well in trials – see our list of AGM fruit and veg for recommended varieties of calabrese and many other crops. Plant young calabrese deeper than they were previously growing, with the lowest leaves level with the surface, so they root in securely. Packed with seasonal flavours, our hand stretched classic tomato base is topped with slices of roasted aubergine, creamy Burrata and sun-blushed tomatoes.The three key plant nutrients usually derived from soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from the air. You’ll see many crops, including calabrese and other brassicas, and can explore how they’re grown, compare the varieties and pick up useful tips and inspiration.